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Last week, President Barack Obama announced a proposal that would provide two years of free tuition to anyone at community colleges across the nation.

“Every American, whether they’re young or just young at heart, they should be able to earn the skills and education necessary to be able to compete and win in the 21st century economy,” he said in a video posted on the White House website.

Three-quarters of funding from America’s College Promise, if approved, would come from the federal government. The additional 25 percent would be supplemented by the individual states.

Two years of free tuition would be awarded to those who maintain a 2.5 grade point average, attend community college at least half-time and make steady progress toward completing their program.

“For millions of Americans, community colleges are essential pathways to the middle class because they’re local, they’re flexible,” Obama said. “Community colleges should be free for those who are willing to work for it, because in America, quality education cannot be a privilege that is reserved for a few.”

If approved, America’s College Promise could have a tangible impact on Rowan County and surrounding area, contributing to a well-trained and better workforce, according to Rowan-Cabarrus Community College President Carol Spalding.

“We think it’s a great idea,” she said.

“We have a low number of college graduates in Rowan and Cabarrus counties,” Spalding said, adding that the program “opens the door to many people who want to upgrade their skills or change careers.”

Obama said his dream is for community college to eventually be “as free and universal is high school is today.”

On average, America’s College Promise could benefit roughly 9 million students each year by providing an average of $3,800 in tuition costs each year.

Rowan-Cabarrus Community College charges $72 a credit hour, which averages out to $2,000 a year.

More than 65 percent of Rowan-Cabarrus students already utilize federal Pell Grants to pay for part of their college tuition, a total of $16 million each year.

But Spalding said many of them take out just as much in loans.

“The Pell Grant is not enough money,” she said.

Spalding acknowledges, however, that there are still a lot of questions about the program.

“There are a lot of things that are not clear,” she said

“People are already asking where the money is coming from,” she said, also adding that there’s no telling how long it would take for the program to get through the federal process.

“As an educator, I know all too well the significant benefit that comes to students who receive a college education. Programs like the President’s proposal would address the great need of work force development and the high unemployment rate that exists in my congressional district,” said U.S. Rep. Alma Adams in a statement.

U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx, a former community college president, disagrees.

“President Obama has a bad habit of creating programs without identifying a way to pay for them, and the price tag for this initiative, which is bound to be incredibly expensive, has yet to even be revealed,” said U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx. “Increasing the number of students who have access to higher education must be a priority, but this is the wrong approach for the federal government to take.

If America’s College Promise is passed on the federal level, each state will then have the opportunity to approve the proposal.

“Community colleges are your first line of defense when it comes to an economic turnaround,” North Carolina Rep. Harry Warren said in a statement.

“The president comes up with lots of big ideas but how are we going to pay for them? Someone’s got to pay for it in the end. There’s no such thing as free,” North Carolina Rep. Carl Ford said.

http://www.salisburypost.com/2015/01/13/presidents-proposal-for-free-college-tuition-could-impact-rowan-county-students/